March 17: THE SERVANT OF YAHWEH

Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and true.” And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. Revelation 22:6

Thus, the epilogue of Revelation begins. An effective speaker, in making a point, will a) present the prologue by telling his audience what he is going to tell them, b) then he tells them, c) and then he brings the epilogue, concluding with what he told them. Let us revisit the prologue’s opening lines: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John (1:1).

It is incredibly vital to understand the identity of the Lord God’s servants. John is shown here to qualify as a servant (see v.9) of Jesus Christ. John’s situation positively reveals the personal surrender of his will to that of Jesus Christ in the great controversy between good and evil.

Ancient Israel understood themselves as chosen to be the servant of Yahweh. Hear the LORD speaking to Moses: “Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me.’” (Exodus 4:22-23a) To be the servant of the LORD requires coming out from under the usurper’s heavy hand for the purpose of training and correction as well as leading others aright. This infamous usurper, the devil, is well-known for forcefully exerting his influence over those (such as Pharaoh) who are not yielded to the LORD, for the explicit purpose of leading people into sin.

Now we fast-forward to the ultimate Israel, the ultimate Overcomer of temptation, the ultimate servant of Yahweh: His own Son. Just after His baptism, God said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Immediately, Jesus was led up by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (4:1), the usurper who wants to claim power over God’s beloved, which includes all people; he does this by erecting false “detour” signs, directing toward paths that deviate from the Word. Our enemy works throughout the world, keeping those who do not trust God from trusting Him. But his most concentrated efforts are among the professed people of God for the purpose of causing the ultimate detour, thus leading His professed people away from Him. It is a fact that a lack of spiritual growth (forward movement) brings the opposite: a wayward effect of spiritual shrinkage. Peter addressed this ‘outside and inside job’ in his great prayer recorded in Acts 4: For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together (v.27). This statement reinforces the vital need of spiritual discernment for all who desire to be His servants, belonging to that true body known as the Servant of Yahweh, the body of Christ (Romans 12:5). Peter’s prayer concluded:

Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus. Acts 4:29-30

For further study: Isaiah 25:1; Amos 3:7; John 18:36; Ephesians 5:23; Hebrews 6:18; 2 Peter 1:21; Revelation 3:14